Engineered
by jtav
Summary: Miranda's father considers his dynasty, his daughter, and the man in her life. Darkfic.


_Author's note: This story requires some explanation. There's been speculation elsewhere that Miranda's infertility will be resolved via a miraculous pregnancy in ME3. I can imagine few resolutions I would like less, so I became determined to subvert the idea. I'm indebted to Elyvern for the idea for this story and to fongiel for reading it over and giving his thoughts._

The files are arrayed before me. I've managed to assemble quite the dossier on my wayward daughter. It would surprise her. Miranda imagines that because she was imperfect, because I was forced to replace her, that I'm no longer keep an eye on her. Nothing could be further from the truth. I never discard anything. You never know when someone will prove useful. I even keep Miranda's sisters, failures that they are, safe and provided for inside the Greyhaven Asylum in case I ever need them again. I track her every movement. I know everything she and Shepard do together. It's gotten harder in the last few months now that the Shadow Broker's agents aren't quite so cooperative, but I have my ways. It's something Miranda and I share, this talent for the collection and dissemination of data. I used it to build the largest media empire the galaxy has ever seen. Miranda imagines she's using it to create a better world. But she always was something of an idealist.

Of course, I know all about her little romance with Shepard. It wasn't even particularly hard to find out. Soldiers gossip the same as everyone, and it's impossible to keep secrets on a ship like the_ Normandy._ Eventually that gossip found its way to me. The agent who told me imagined that I would be surprised. Miranda was always reserved and careful even as a child. Commander Shepard is the man who raves about Reapers that are going to destroy us all and has never met a regulation he wouldn't break. He would drive my daughter to madness, surely?

I know better. You must remember that I created her. Every one of her genetic modifications serves a purpose. I gave some thought to the future when I made her. I intend for my dynasty to last forever. My own version of immortality. Unfortunately, the methods I used to create the first generation aren't sustainable in the long term. Too much use of the same DNA increases the likelihood of genetic defect. Eventually, more traditional reproduction will be required if I want to maintain the necessary genetic diversity. And what father doesn't want the best possible partner for his daughter? So I made her desire only the best. Attraction is ultimately a biochemical process, and our biochemical processes eventually come down to genetics. Miranda desires strength. She desires courage. Above all, she desires someone with the force of charisma to make even someone as strong-willed as her follow him to the depths of hell itself. I never managed to give her a talent for leadership, and I'd intended to correct my mistake with the next generation. John Shepard—the man who rallied a ragtag bunch of colonists to defend against the Skyillian Blitz and who led the team that defeated Saren—is nothing if not a leader.

I can imagine her fighting the attraction at first. Miranda is a clever girl. She must suspect I bred her for this. But our genetic destiny is a hard thing to resist. It's a shame about the tumor that prevents an embryo from implanting in her uterine wall. I couldn't tolerate such a blatant imperfection, so I arranged for her to go live with her sisters. She ran and took Oriana with her. Joined Cerberus. I still don't know exactly how she came to be associated with Shepard or what he was doing during the two years he was declared killed in action. The two of them took Oriana from me a second time. The loss of my youngest daughter would have almost been worth it for the possibility of a Shepard/Lawson cross. Environment played its part, but there's something special about his makeup. There has to be. Her genes mixed with those of the closest thing we have to an exemplar of humanity... well, you can imagine the possibilities. A nearly perfect human and a true heir for my dynasty. And I would never see it.

Or so I thought until today. I'll let the recording speak for itself.

_Miranda perches on the edge of the hotel bed. She's even paler than normal. Shepard sits beside her. They are clasping hands. Shepard looks at her with something that is probably concern, but Miranda seems to find her knees very interesting. "What's wrong?" he asks very softly._

_"The OB/GYN's office sent the test results." She shifts slightly. "The good news is that I'm not going through premature menopause."_

_"Why do I get the feeling that there's a 'and the bad news is' coming up?" His fingers dig into her palm, causing her to look up. "You don't have cancer or anything, do you? I read an article on the extranet about a woman who lived with a benign tumor for twenty years before it metastasized."_

_She smiles, but only a fool would think that tight grimace is an expression of happiness. "What have I told you about getting medical advice from the extranet? No, I don't have cancer." She takes a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."_

_Shepard mouths the words but no sound comes out. He tries again. "You're—you're pregnant? But I thought—how?"_

_"Oh, the usual way." The smile vanishes. "I always thought my... condition was too far gone. Dr. Greenway said I had only a one in four hundred and twenty-five thousand chance to conceive. Obviously, my number came up."_

_"You're pregnant?"_

_"I thought we already established that. Can't say I'm thrilled about the timing. The Reapers..."_

_And those words seem to shock some sense into him. "The Reapers. The Reapers are coming and I'm going to be a father." He cocks his head to one side. "Are you going to keep it? I mean, I know I said I wanted to adopt kids someday, but I understand if you think it's too dangerous to have one now."_

_She thinks for a long moment. "Part of me thinks I should abort it. I have responsibilities to you, to humanity. But—"_

_"But you know this is the only shot we'll ever get at this," he finishes for her. She nods. Shepard removes his hands from hers and places them reverently on her stomach. "Then I guess I have one more thing to fight for now."_

The recording cuts out, doubtless to spare me from the inevitable celebratory sex. I play it back twice just to make sure I've heard correctly. Miranda is pregnant. I'm going to be a grandfather. A wild, fierce joy springs inside me. The girl will be carrying the next generation of my dynasty after all. I've never been prouder of her. Even after all these years, these childish attempts to assert her independence, she fulfills my plans in the end.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to plan how to reclaim my grandchild.


End file.
